Published by mel on September 29, 2009 in entree and recipe.
Whew! It’s been a really hectic couple of weeks traveling for work and leisure. Tom turned 30 and we had a weekend-long celebration in Las Vegas. For the record, Burger Bar might just be my favorite place on earth. They let you add jalapeno bacon to your burger. Have you ever even heard of jalapeño bacon? It was astounding. Wonderful. Magnificent. Almost brought tears to my eyes. I’m already planning my trip back just so I can have another taste of that jalapeño bacon.
But, moving on… Since I’ve had zero time to cook, I had a really bizarre assortment of ingredients in the fridge. Turkey kielbasa, one egg, savoy cabbage, some onions, peanut butter, piquillo peppers, condiments galore and way too much beer. But don’t worry – I didn’t just combine everything for this dish. Instead, I translated German Currywurst into a noodle dish.
I sauteed some onions, turkey kielbasa and thinly sliced cabbage, then made a simple sauce with some white wine, deli mustard, tomato paste and hot curry powder. The result was a really comforting bowl of noodles. Reminiscent of German street food, but not so much that it was weird. One of those pantry meals that ends up being a total winner and something I’ll actually make again. At least, my husband hopes I will.
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Published by mel on September 17, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
As promised, it’s football food week here on BitchinCamero and nothing says football like sticky, spicy wings. And nothing is better than grilling during the fall, so I present these Grilled Honey Garlic Wings for your tailgating pleasure.
These wings were marinated for hours in a special marinade of honey, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, smoked paprika and cayenne. When I threw them on the grill, the honey and garlic caramelized to a lovely dark brown. The wings were sweet, spicy and so tender. Our fingers were sticky, our faces messy. You gotta love wings.
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Published by mel on September 15, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
September is here and with it comes football. My favorite thing about football? Tailgating food, of course. Sure, I love a good college football game, but the real treat is the afternoon beer, wings, nachos and potato skins. In honor of Michigan defeating Notre Dame last weekend (hopefully Michigan State will do the same this weekend), I’m posting football-friendly food all week. And I’m kicking it off with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Jalapeno Twice Baked Potatoes.
The nice people over at Ile de France sent me a nice St. Agur Blue Cheese, which was the perfect ingredient for this amazing side. The filling is spicy and smoky, creamy and blue cheese-y, and the skins are crisp and chewy. If you’re making steak, these should be your side dish. And even if you’re not making steak, you should make these anyway. I promise you won’t have any leftovers.
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Published by mel on September 11, 2009 in dessert, recipe and sides & bites.
What’s better than cold, creamy homemade frozen yogurt? Baileys, Banana and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt. I made some last night and it was good. I mean really, really good. It was all I could do to keep myself from having some for breakfast this morning. Instead, I am impatiently waiting for dessert tonight.
For some reason, bananas have a magical quality that prevents them from getting icy in the freezer. It’s probably why frozen bananas make such delicious delicious smoothies. (Jamba Juice obviously found this out a long while ago.) You can make this frozen yogurt with or without an ice cream maker. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, your frozen yogurt will be a touch icy, but still creamier than you’d expect. It’s the bananas and the Baileys, which keeps it from freezing completely. And some grated chocolate adds a little bit of texture and just the right amount of chocolateyness.
My favorite frozen yogurt to date!
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Published by mel on September 9, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I spent Labor Day weekend on Lake Michigan – eating s’mores by the beach bonfire, drinking the first of the season’s Octoberfest and generally lounging around. At night the temperatures dipped into the 50’s and I snuggled into my hoodie. A very welcome taste of Fall for this Floridian. And it got me thinking about soup, even after I returned to the stifling Miami humidity.
So, with Fall on the brain , but summer in the pantry, I made this Zucchini, White Bean and Leek Soup. Instead of using potatoes and cream as a base, I simply sauteed some leeks and simmered those with zucchini and lots of garlic in some chicken stock. I added cannelini beans for creaminess and blended it into a nice, soothing puree. Topped with croutons, a dusting of Parmesan cheese and some basil oil – it was a pretty perfect lunch. A little summer, a little fall and just right.
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Published by mel on September 3, 2009 in entree and recipe.
Can I tell you that my pressure cooker is one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten? My mom gave it to me last Christmas when she saw me coveting hers and the speediness in which she could make a stew or a pot of beans. I’ve been happily saving time ever since. I grew up with the sound of a pressure cooker chug-chug-chugging away like a steam engine on my grandmothers’ stoves, so I never thought to be afraid of them. Recently, someone posted about their Pressure Cooker Phobia on the Serious Eats message boards. I quickly chimed in with reassurance and recipes, but it got me thinking that some people don’t quite “get” why a pressure cooker is any better than a pot.
Sure, you can cook your food in record time, but I think there’s more to it than that. A pressure cooker traps heat and steam, regulated by a small valve so that it won’t explode. Because the steam recirculates, the liquid and everything inside reaches much higher temperatures than it would in a regular pot. Not only does this cook your food faster, but it also allows the flavors to meld and intensify without drying out.
So, even though it’s still hot down in my part of the country, I’ve been craving a thick, hearty ragu and decided to give it a go in the pressure cooker. Normally, my ragu takes at least 3 hours on low heat until the meat is tender and falling apart enough for me claim success. This ragu took 30 minutes, start to finish. I kid you not. Thirty minutes. And boy was it good!
Instead of the usual lamb, I used pork center loin because it’s what I had. A quick sear, then add the rest of the ingredients, seal the pot and 25 minutes later, a deliciously rich and intense ragu for my rigatoni. I may never make ragu the slow way again.
Related: Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
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Published by mel on September 1, 2009 in recipe and sides & bites.
You know those days when you invite people over for dinner, but you also decide to go to the grocery store, kayak, deep clean your house, and make a 3-course meal from scratch all in the same day? No? You’re not insane? Well, apparently I am since this is exactly how I spent my Saturday. Rushing from Whole Foods to the beach, then back home to clean and make ceviche, chile-braised short ribs and polenta.
So, when the guests arrived and I started pouring watermelon mojitos, I put out Rosemary Fried Almonds because I didn’t have the time or energy to make anything more complicated, and because they’re delicious. Fried almonds are also called Marcona almonds and are served at Tapas bars far and wide. They usually cost way too much money and are easier to make at home, not to mention more tasty when they’re fresh. They’re a toasty, salty and crunchy snack that goes well with cold cocktails and beer. A simple hors d’oeuvre (can this word be singular? Somebody help me out here…), but a delicious one.
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